


Love Story

by soul_writerr



Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Angst, Family Drama, Family Secrets, Feelings, Fluff, Forbidden Love, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance, Romeo and Juliet Feels?, Secret Relationship, Song: Love Story (Taylor Swift), Star-crossed, Waiting, Young Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2020-09-06 03:27:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20284627
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/soul_writerr/pseuds/soul_writerr
Summary: Sonny is a prince soon to become king. He's supposed to ask a woman's hand in marriage before he takes the throne, but his heart belongs to a man.He and Rafael decide to run away then, but secrets hunt them down before they get too far, and they’re both forced to face a cruel reality.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was listening to Taylor Swift's Love Stoy and got really into my feelings thinking of barisi in the situation she sings about and this was born. 
> 
> I'd say this is set around the same time as the show Downton Abbey, so like the 1920s. Sonny is 20 and Rafael is 22.

Sonny ran down the stairs as fast as he could, his heart beating loudly in his chest, a grin so wide on his face it almost split it in half. By the time he reached the foyer, he was panting, and slowed down his pace as to not alarm his mother.

“Dominick,” she called softly from her seat in front of the fireplace. She looked beautiful, the flames making her hair look more auburn than brown. “Where are you going this late at night?” 

“My apologies, mother,” he replied, trying to contain his smile. Olivia was a very perceptive woman, and she could read him like no one else. “I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I could take a walk around the garden, for some fresh air.” 

Olivia smiled, nodding. “That sounds great, darling. I’d join you, but I’m afraid I was just about to go to bed myself.” 

“That’s all right,” Sonny shook his head. “You had a busy day, you should rest. Do you want me to call Payton for you?”

“No, I’ve already dismissed her. It’s quite late,” she said, then stood up. “Don’t stay out too long, Sonny. And take your coat, you wouldn’t want to catch a cold.” 

She approached him in soft steps. So soft, actually, that it almost looked like she was gliding across the marble floor, her long dressing gown flowing behind her. Sonny leaned down slightly to receive a kiss on the cheek and a little pat on the shoulder.

“Good night, darling. You were amazing this evening. The young Rollins girl seems quite taken with you,” Olivia said approvingly, and he tried not to laugh out loud.

Yes, he and Amanda got along spectacularly well. There was nothing quite like true solidarity between a gay man and a lesbian woman. 

“Good night, mother,” he said softly. “Sleep well.”

Sonny counted down the seconds in his mind until he lost sight of his mother down the hall, then sprinted towards the front door. He almost ripped the hanger off the wall in his haste to grab his coat, pulling it on as he went around the walkway towards the back of the mansion. 

His single-minded focus had helped him keep himself upright, but he tripped on a loose shrub branch as soon as he caught sight of who was waiting for him on the other side of the back gate. He looked down to see that the tip of one of his slippers was now ripped.

He grunted at his clumsiness. The slippers had been a gift from his godmother Rita, and she’d be incredibly disappointed to learn he’d ruined them. Well, disappointed, but not surprised.

Pacing himself again, Sonny continued on his way towards the gate, his smile growing again as he was met by the most beautiful pair of green eyes he’d ever seen.

“Rafael,” he breathed, almost dreamily, once he was close enough. 

“That was quite a stumble back there,” Rafael teased, smirking. “Are you alright?” 

Sonny blushed slightly. He couldn’t help it, Rafael always made him feel like a fool in love, and he was so gorgeous Sonny couldn’t look straight at him for too long or he’d lose his mind. Because there he stood, in a loose white shirt and equally loose black pants, the light fabric dancing in the cool breeze as he smiled at Sonny, his eyes twinkling with mischief.

Sonny was a prince, and he was going to be king someday. There were so many rules he had to follow, so many expectations to fill, so many obligations, but all of that flew out of the window every single time Rafael came to see him. Every time he saw him, Sonny wanted to freeze time. 

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Sonny said lightly as he opened the gate to meet Rafael on the other side. “My godmother’s going to be incredibly disappointed in me, though.” 

“Oh,” Rafael said, looking down at Sonny’s ripped slipper. “I could fix that for you. I can use my abuelita’s sewing machine. It won’t be as good as new, but perhaps she won’t notice?” 

“She will,” he chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s okay, I’m sure she’ll love to get me another pair. But thank you for your offer.” 

Rafael nodded, then ran a hand through his hair. Sonny knew that was his nervous tell.

“How much time do we have?,” he asked lightly. 

This was the part Sonny hated. Having to sneak out, having a time limit, having to lie. 

He looked back over his shoulder up at the house. It was quiet, only his mother’s bedroom light on. 

“Half an hour, maybe?,” Sonny guessed. Olivia would probably check on him before turning off her lights to sleep. 

Rafael sighed, and his shoulders sagged. “I had set up a picnic for us.”

There wouldn’t enough time to sit down and eat, Sonny knew. “I’m sorry. Dinner ran a little late, we had guests, and my mother --,” he paused, not wanting to tell Rafael about the Rollins family and their business transactions that involved marrying him and Amanda. 

“I understand,” Rafael swallowed hard. “Well, we can take a walk, then?”

“Of course,” Sonny smiled, starting down towards the garden. “You look good tonight.” 

Rafael smiled. “Thank you. So do you.” 

“I’m in my pajamas,” Sonny said mildly, pulling his coat closed over his chest. 

“They’re great pajamas,” he offered with a tilt of his head. “Blue looks great on you. It brings out your eyes.” 

Sonny blushed again, biting into his bottom lip softly. “Thanks. How was your day?” 

“Very good, actually. Old Jack said that if I keep up the good work he’ll have me promoted by the end of the month,” Rafael said enthusiastically. 

“Rafael, that’s fantastic,” Sonny beamed, reaching to squeeze Rafael’s hand. To his delight, Rafael took it and laced their fingers. “And how’s your abuelita?”

“She’s been doing much better. Those pills you brought me, they really helped, Sonny. She’s sewing and baking again. Thank you.” 

“It’s no problem at all,” Sonny smiled. “I told my mother about the trouble you were having down at the city pharmacy. She said she’d make sure it wouldn’t happen again.” 

Rafael turned to him, eyes wide. “Sonny, I don’t want anyone to get fired, I wasn’t --”

“Hey, no, no,” he shook his head. “No one’s getting fired, Raf. It was an administration issue, it’s easily solved.” 

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. You know she tries her best, Rafael, but the kingdom is big, and she can’t be everywhere at once. She listens to the people, though,” Sonny said. He’d never say there weren’t problems, but there were things only people who lived in town could ever notice were wrong.

“I know that, yeah,” Rafael said softly. “I appreciate it, Sonny. So tell me, how was your dinner?”

Sonny sighed dramatically, and Rafael chuckled. “It was boring, as always. I swear my shoulders still hurt from having to sit up so straight in those dining chairs.” 

“Oh, the royal problems,” he teased, squeezing Sonny’s hand. “Why don’t we sit down for a while? You can slouch if you want.” 

“We don’t have to, I’m fine,” Sonny looked up at the moon. “I ought to go back soon, I’m sorry.”

“Not immediately, hopefully,” Rafael said, and when Sonny looked down again there were only a few inches between them. “I missed you.”

Sonny felt himself melt when Rafael’s arms went around him. “I missed you, too.” 

He leaned down to kiss Rafael lightly, holding his face between his hands. Sonny stroked Rafael’s cheekbones with his thumbs as they shared soft, sweet kisses that never got too deep, but that were enough to make him weak in the knees. 

“I wish you didn’t have to go,” Rafael breathed against his lips a moment later, keeping their tight embrace. “It’s not fair.” 

Sonny closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Rafael’s. “I know. All evening I was sat next to Amanda, but I was thinking about you. I wanted it to be you with me in there. I wanted you to be the one I have to court.” 

He felt Rafael tighten his hold on him, their chests pressed together tightly. Sonny never wanted to let go. He wanted to scream from the highest mountain that Rafael was the one he loved, Rafael was the one he wanted by his side. He wanted Rafael sitting in the throne beside his.

“I hate that she’s the one who gets to have you,” Rafael breathed, and his voice sounded deep and dangerous. 

“She doesn’t have me,” Sonny was quick to ensure. “No one else could ever have me. My heart’s yours and you’re the one always on my mind. There’s no space for anybody else. I don’t  _ want  _ anybody else, Rafael. I want to be with you. Only you.”

Rafael seized his lips in a kiss that was almost desperate, a little rougher than the previous ones. It spoke of raw passion, and it felt decisive. 

When they parted, Sonny saw those same feelings reflected in Rafael’s green eyes. He looked beautiful; determined, ferocious. 

“Then run away with me,” Rafael whispered. 

“Yes,” Sonny whispered back, no hesitation, and smiled. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sonny and Rafael run away, but reality comes back to haunt them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Back when I wrote chapter 1 I wanted to make this story longer, but I couldn't figure it out then. A while later, the idea for these two other chapters came to me, so I wrote 5,6k more to this.
> 
> It was hard for me to just leave this with a sour ending, so even though this chapter is rough, I promise there's a happy ending on the next one. I hope you enjoy!

Everything started off great. 

After Sonny and Rafael agreed to run away together, they both went home to pack, and met again the next night by the stables behind the Queen’s mansion. Sonny took both his horses, one for him and one for Rafael, and they galloped away into the sunset. 

The wind on their faces, their hearts full, it truly felt like they were living in a fairytale. Sonny couldn’t help the feeling of how  _ right  _ it was to look beside himself and see Rafael, smiling brilliantly at him. 

And so they went, for hours, until they horses got too tired to continue, until they reached far enough away that people wouldn’t recognize Sonny as the Prince, but as a traveler looking for a place to spend the night. 

It took a few days, but eventually they found a small cottage to rent for a longer stay. There was only one room, one bathroom, the kitchen only fit one of them at a time, and the living room doubled as a dining room, too. It was perfect. It was home. 

The first couple nights were like something out of a dream. Sharing a home with Rafael, falling asleep in his arms, kissing him freely, finally having all the time in the world, it was indescribable. Sonny had never been happier. 

The little town they found was small enough for them to always interact with the same two people whenever they needed groceries or supplies for themselves. Sonny thought that was a blessing, because the smaller the number of people saw them, the better. 

That was until the news came.

The kingdom was desperately searching for him, offering a meaty reward to whomever had any information about his whereabouts. And so those two people down the shop became a threat, because they knew him too well, they’d seen him enough times to recognize him from the pictures in the paper.

So Sonny and Rafael mounted their horses again, and left the little cottage they got to call home for almost two weeks. 

It would be best to change their tactic, Rafael suggested. They should look for the biggest city their horses could take them. In a bigger city, they could disappear easily in the background. In a bigger crowd, people would pay them no mind, and it would be easier to hide. 

For two nights, they travelled, in search of a new home. Sonny could see Rafael was tired, and suddenly he was filled with trepidation. He hoped the other man didn’t regret his decision, but he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

Sonny wasn’t sure why his mother had ordered a whole search party after him. He had told her everything in a letter. He didn’t want her to think he was kidnapped, or got lost and was wandering around all alone, she’d be worried sick. So Sonny chose to tell her the whole truth; about himself, about Rafael, and about what they were doing - running away.

Sonny had left the long letter on his pillow with a single rose, begging her for forgiveness, urging her not to look for him, and saying he hoped they’d someday see each other again. But considering that his face was plastered across front pages now, she had not forgiven him, and she was not going to wait for his eventual return.

“Do you regret it?,” Sonny asked in an undertone on the third night, after they finally found a little house in a much bigger town. 

Rafael was in the kitchen - big enough to fit the two of them this time -, and looked over his shoulder at him. “Do I regret what?”

“Coming with me?,” he whispered, wrapping his arms around himself. “Running away?”

Rafael turned off the faucet then, drying his hands on a small kitchen towel as he turned towards Sonny with an adoring look in his eyes.

“My love,” he started softly. “Of course I don’t. I’ve never been happier.” 

Sonny swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and managed a weak smiled. “You look worried.”

“That’s because I  _ am _ worried,” Rafael said with a sigh, dropping the towel and approaching Sonny in light steps, reaching for his hand. “I must confess I haven’t been sleeping well, despite being so happy that I get to share a bed with you. I’m afraid of what your mother might do if she finds us.”

“She’s not a tyrant, Raf,” he defended, but his heart wasn’t really in it. Sonny had thought his mother would leave him be once she learned about why he’d left, but he’d been wrong, so he didn’t quite know what to expect anymore. “Worst comes to worst, she’ll take us back and pretend this never happened.”

“But I don’t want that,” Rafael said fiercely, frowning. “You said she’d understand, that she’d leave us alone.”

“I’m not going to say I understand what she’s doing, because I don’t. But maybe she  _ has _ to do this,” he shrugged. “Maybe in order to keep reigning, she has to exhaust all possibilities of finding me, the rightful heir.”

“So what? She’s going to spend the rest of her life paying newspapers to print pictures of you?,” Rafael pulled away, shaking his head. “We’re going to have to keep moving, we can’t stay too long anywhere or she’ll find us.”

“Let her,” Sonny said instead. “Let her come to our door and say what she has to say. She’s my mother, Rafael, I can talk to her.” 

Rafael scoffed. “But she’s not being very motherly, is she? You tell her you’re a gay man running away with your lover and she puts a price on your head? My apologies if I’m not feeling very confident.”

“That’s not fair,” he frowned. “You don’t know her.” 

“And neither do you, clearly,” he said dryly, then walked past Sonny and into the bedroom, locking the door behind himself. 

Sonny sat on the kitchen table with a long sigh, his head in his hands, feeling overwhelmed. He had no idea what his mother’s angle was, and he couldn’t blame Rafael for being concerned. They had both left a lot behind when they skipped town, but Sonny still had the privilege of being a royal, regardless of any wrongdoing, while Rafael didn’t.

When push came to shove, the scale of consequences on Rafael’s side would be much heavier. Sonny couldn’t blame him for freaking out and being defensive, but he had to find a way to figure this out if he wanted their relationship to work.

So Sonny looked back at the locked door for a moment, but instead of going to knock, he decided to give Rafael some time, and started on dinner instead. Cooking was a great way to keep himself busy while also giving him a moment to think. 

He had never been more grateful for his mother’s insistence when it came to Sonny learning the basic in every area of the household, from cooking to gardening, although he was much more dedicated to the former than the later.

It wasn’t long until Sonny got lost in what he was doing, focused on the motions of cutting, whisking, and stirring. His mind kept wandering to Rafael, and what he was going to say to appease him. He knew he had to find a way to balance things out between them, he couldn’t be Prince Sonny, the future King, about this. 

Sonny was just a man. Rafael was just a man. And together they had made the decision to honor their love. They had to keep going on that path, otherwise their commitment, their sacrifices, their freedom would be lost, and the whole ordeal would have been for nothing.

“I still can’t believe you’re such a proficient cook,” Sonny heard suddenly, almost jumping out of his skin at Rafael’s sudden reappearance. He hadn’t even heard the door open.

But still, he looked over his shoulder as he plated his food, and smiled as invitingly as he could. “Hey. I wasn’t sure you felt like eating, but I made enough for at least four of us,” Sonny said, then turned with a plate in hand. “Here, take my plate, I’ll make myself another one.”

“Thanks,” Rafael smiled and took the plate, setting it on the table, but not sitting down to eat it. Instead, he stepped closer to Sonny, a regretful expression on his face.

“Listen, Sonny, I’m sorry,” he started. “I realize now that what I said was completely out of line. I shouldn’t have questioned you. If you think there’s a plausible reason for your mother’s search, then I trust you’re right. You know her better than me.”

Sonny nodded, stepping closer to him. “No, I understand, it’s okay. I’d be scared, too.”

“I just don’t want to lose this, love,” Rafael took his hand again. “I don’t want to lose  _ you _ .”

“You’re not going to lose me, Raf,” Sonny said fiercely, reaching up to caress Rafael’s face softly. “I promise you, no matter what happens, we’ll get through it together.” 

“We will,” Rafael replied just as surely, resting their foreheads together. “I love you.”

Sonny smiled. “I love you, too.” 

Rafael leaned in and kissed him, starting off softly but rapidly progressing to their generally urgent rhythm. Sonny had noticed that they always fell back into an almost desperate kiss, as if they both somehow thought something was going to go wrong and they wouldn’t be able to do this again.

In a way, he guessed that feeling wouldn’t go away for a while.

“Wait, wait,” Sonny breathed when Rafael’s lips moved down his jaw to his neck. “Let me say something before you distract me.”

“What is it, love?,” he pulled back, looking a little dazed.

Sonny took a deep breath, and looked deep into his eyes. “I chose you, Rafael. I’m here because I want to be with  _ you _ , and whatever happens with my mother, the kingdom, our home, we’ll always make all decisions together, as equals.”

Things had changed, that much was clear. Sonny was no longer a prince. He was a man who was in love, a man who wanted his relationship to work out, and he knew they couldn’t have the weight of a throne hanging over their heads. 

So he stripped himself of his royalty, completely, and without hesitation. 

“Okay,” Rafael replied with a determined nod. “I choose you, too, Sonny. And for what is worth, you’ll always be  _ my _ prince.” 

And as far as titles went,  _ that  _ was the only Sonny really needed.

* * *

Sonny should have seen the signs that something wasn’t right. But then again, he was so used to always having his guard down, he hadn’t noticed that he was being watched. He hadn’t noticed the subtle  _ looks _ and the whispers that followed him whenever he went out.

It was Rafael, on their third week in their new home, that came back from grocery shopping empty-handed, running into the house with an alarmed expression and panic in his voice.

“They found us,” he yelled, going right past Sonny to the bedroom. “We have to leave right now. Get the horses ready.”

Sonny immediately felt his heart jump to his throat, and he wanted to ask who, how, when, why, but Rafael was already pulling stuff out of the drawers and stuffing everything into their bags, so he didn’t question anything, he simply acted.

He pulled on his boots, hoping that they horses had had time to finish their breakfast, making mental notes of all the things they needed to take with them, calculating how far they needed to go, how fast, and listing potential towns they could move to. But when he opened the door to get the horses, there she was. 

His mother was standing right at the front door, looking like she was about to make lightning fall out of the sky by sheer willpower. 

“Dominick,” she said gravely. “We need to talk.”

As far as Sonny could tell, she was alone. He knew there must be guards around, but Olivia had certainly made sure they couldn’t be seen. 

“Mother, I’ve already said everything I had to say in my letter,” Sonny said, thankful his voice sounded firm. “I’m not going back.” 

“If you’ve got nothing else to say, then you’re going to listen,” Olivia replied resolutely, and she moved past Sonny and into the house. “Where is he?”

“Right here,” Rafael said, coming out of the bedroom, and Sonny was surprised to see the devastated look on his face. 

Olivia stared him down for a couple beats, her expression unwareving, until Sonny stepped around her to get to Rafael, wrapping an arm around his waist.

“It’s okay,” Sonny murmured to him. 

Sonny saw something flicker across his mother’s face, and he hoped, prayed, begged, that she wasn’t about to say anything offensive to them. He honestly didn’t think he could bear his mother being prejudiced towards the man he loved.

“Son,” she said tightly, looking at Sonny. “Is there somewhere we can speak privately?”

He stood straighter. “Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Rafael.”

“I don’t think you want that,” Olivia’s voice was almost back to its normal pitch, but it still held a certain  _ demanding _ tone to it. 

If she was about to shame him for what he did, for who he was, he didn’t actually want Rafael to hear it. So he turned to him, and whispered, “Get the horses ready. I’ll deal with this, then we’ll go.” 

Rafael looked at Olivia, then back at Sonny, and the sadness was still clear in his eyes, but he nodded and walked out, shoulders tense. 

“Well?,” Sonny pressed, and gestured for her to take a seat in their only armchair. 

“Your letter took me by surprise, I’m sure you know,” she started in an even tone. “But I wish you had spoken to me in person before leaving. All of this cat and mouse game could have been avoided.” 

“There’s nothing you could have said to make me stay,” he said with a violent shake of his head.

“I remember that when I was your age I thought I knew everything about life, but I was wrong. And so are you,” Olivia said, but no unkindly. “There’s a lot you don’t know, Dominick. There’s a lot I could have told you that would have made you stay. There’s a lot behind why I need you to come back.”

“If I ever go back, I’m not taking the throne,” Sonny offered. He had thought about this specific scenario so many times, about everything he was going to use as a counter-argument if the need arose. 

But those imaginary scenarios hadn’t prepared him for the clear pain on his mother’s face.

“I’m sorry, my son,” Olivia said, shaking her head. “But I can’t anymore.”

Sonny’s stomach dropped. “I can’t leave Rafael.”

“You can bring him back,” she said, and for a moment Sonny dared to be hopeful. It all came crash down when Olivia spoke again. “But you can’t be with him. You know that, that’s why you ran away. You know that if the court knew about this, our monarchy would be overthrown.”

“Why do you want me to come back, then? It’s a huge risk, mother.”

“It is,” Olivia nodded, solemn. “Marry the Rollins girl, have a child as soon as you can, so when they’re old enough to rule the kingdom, you can be with your lover.”

Sonny felt his jaw drop at the same time a panicked laugh escaped him. “I can’t, that’s not fair. Amanda doesn’t deserve that, and neither does Rafael. What, you expect him to wait for me for over two decades? Do you have any idea what you’re asking me to do?”

“Yes. I do.” 

There was a long pause, a heavy silence, where mother and son stared at each other for many seconds. 

“What are you saying?,” Sonny asked shortly.

Olivia sighed, and reached for his hand. “My beautiful son,” she said softly, smiling sadly at him. “I never meant to burden you like this. If only I’d been brave enough to give you siblings. I just never thought that, in the end, we’d be the same.” 

There was a pause again, and Sonny found himself kneeling in front of Olivia so he could look her in the eyes. “Mother,” he called with a heavy heart. “ _ What _ are you saying? What do you mean?”

She observed his face for a moment, and when she spoke again, her voice was nothing but a whisper. “I’ve been in love with your godmother since I was 15 years old, Dominick,” Olivia said, and in that moment, Sonny felt his entire world shift on its axis. “And when you take over the throne, we’ll finally be together.” 

Sonny blinked, shaking his head almost desperately, trying to delete the words she had just said, to remove the weight that suddenly dawned on his shoulders. 

“Mother,” he started brokenly, but couldn’t continue. Sonny knew very well what this meant. He knew he’d never be able to send his mother back to keep living a lie, deprived of the person she loved. Sonny couldn’t deny her that.

So he clung to her lap, and cried. He cried for his mother and his godmother Rita, and how unfair it was that they had to deny themselves for so long. He cried for Amanda, and the thought that they were going to have to go through with this sham. He cried for Rafael, and the weight of the decision Sonny was going to have to place on him.

And he cried for himself. He cried, afraid this meant he was going to lose the man that he loved. He cried, because he doubted he’d ever feel happiness again.

* * *

Sonny found Rafael by the stable, but the horses weren’t saddled. In fact, they were still undisturbedly munching away on their breakfast, Rafael watching them with a distraught expression. Something in Sonny’s chest clenched painfully, and he took a deep breath as he approached. 

“Rafael,” he called, and the man turned to look at him with tense shoulders. “We need to talk.”

The other man swallowed hard, nodding resolutely. “I know I’m not going to like whatever you have to say if your mother’s still here.”

“I told you we were going to make our decisions together, and we will,” Sonny said placantanly. “But I have to tell you something first.”

So they sat on the wooden bench just outside the cramped stable doors, and Sonny told Rafael everything his mother had said. About her and Rita, about Sonny being raised to take over as soon as possible so they could be together, about the deal with the Rollins family. 

Rafael listened quietly, looking at Sonny with an increasingly brokenhearted expression. By the time he was done with the story, he couldn’t bring it upon himself to look at Rafael. He already felt as if he were hanging by a thread, and seeing the utter devastation on Rafael’s face might just break him completely.

“There isn’t a decision to be made,” Rafael said after a long pause, and his voice sounded so weak, for a moment Sonny wished he were stronger. At least strong enough to tell his mother he couldn’t go through with it. “You’re going back.”

Sonny felt a lump tying his throat closed again, and nodded meekly. 

“Does it even make a difference if I object?,” he whispered.

“The decision isn’t whether or not I’m going back,” Sonny said hoarsely. “It’s whether or not what we have is worth waiting decades for.” 

The silence stretched, and for a moment Sonny thought he couldn’t breathe. He reminisced on the last four weeks, how close to a fairytale everything had felt, and now, even though he was the prince people often read about, his heart was absolutely  _ destroyed _ , completely mangled. 

“I chose you, Sonny,” Rafael finally spoke, turning to look at him. Sonny was thankful to see that the broken expression had somewhat softened. “I told myself that even if something like this happened, if your mother found us, if she imposed anything on you, I made my choice, I’ve sorted out my priority. And it’s all  _ you _ .”

Sonny let out a relieved sob, turning to pull Rafael into his arms with a shaky breath. “I’m so sorry,” he breathed, his eyes stinging with new tears. “I wouldn’t have brought you into this if I had known.”

Rafael shook his head. “And miss out on the weeks we’ve had? No way. This past month is going to carry me through the next two decades, my love.” 

“I don’t deserve you,” he said, taking Rafael’s face between his hands. “God, Rafael, I love you so much. I’m so, so,  _ sorry _ .”

The other man smiled softly at him, holding on to Sonny’s wrists. “I love you, too. I’ll never not love you, Sonny. How could I, when the reason you’re leaving is so your mother can be happy? Your heart’s always in the right place, of that I’m absolutely certain, and there’s no measure for your kindness. I know I’ll be lucky to have you, Sonny, now or years ahead.”

Sonny was openly crying now, looking Rafael in the eyes as he let his face crumble in grief. 

“Don’t cry, my love,” Rafael leaned in, rubbing their noses together softly. “I don’t want our last moment together to be sad.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” he breathed. “I’ll ask my mother for one last night, she’ll have to give me that after what she’s asked me to do. We can have tonight, if you’d like.”

Rafael smiled, then nodded. “I’d like nothing more.”

When they laid together in bed later, his mother and her guards long gone under the promise Sonny would be returning in the morning, Sonny held onto to Rafael as tightly as he could without hurting him.

They made love slowly until the sun rose in the horizon, and showered each other in kisses until the very last minutes they had. They whispered promises of forever in each other’s ears, hands caressing nonstop, and Sonny swore he would never forget the last touch of Rafael’s lips to his.

Sonny left first, the yearning in his heart so strong he thought his knees would buckle and rend him motionless, but at last he mounted his horse, looking back over his shoulder until he lost sight of the love of his life, standing, _so gorgeous_, in front of the place they once got to call home. 

For a moment, he considered that the heartbreak would actually kill him, but shook that thought away immediately. Rafael would come back to the kingdom soon, and in two decades he was still going to be waiting for Sonny, and Sonny was going to be there, waiting, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 3 will be up on Wednesday! I cried while writing this, and I cried both times I edited it, so let me know my tears were worth it with a little comment and a kudo, please? [puppy eyes]
> 
> MWAH! Thank you for reading


	3. 21 years later

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it's time for Sonny to step down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the happy ending I promised. I hope this makes up for the heartbreak from chapter 2! 
> 
> Enjoy!

When Sonny opened the door to his daughter’s bedroom, he gasped, mesmerized. 

She was standing in front of a long mirror in a gorgeous, silk, blush pink dress, that hugged her by the waist and flared out and down her hips. Her long, curly, blonde hair was down, and it fell down her back in a beautiful cascade. 

He couldn’t believe his little girl was the stunning woman standing before him, ready to take over the kingdom as the kindest, fairest queen they had ever had - with honorable mention to Olivia, of course. 

“Darling, you look so beautiful,” he said, emotional, hand on his chest. 

Beatrice turned to look at him with a beaming smile. “After I saw yours and mom’s coronation pictures, I just had to rise to your level, didn’t I? You both looked so stunning.”

Sonny smiled despite the memories of that dreadful day, of how scarred he was still was for having to go through that. 

He had asked Rafael not to come that day, but the man had been unable to keep away the same way he did for his wedding. So Sonny had just stared at him; through speeches, vows, and even when the crown was placed on his head, he kept his eyes on Rafael. 

The pictures of his coronation might show Sonny’s perfect posture, the gorgeous clothes he was wearing, the incredible design of his crown, but it didn’t show his heart - broken, miserable, hurting. 

“Well, you’ve outdone both of us,” Sonny said kindly, and approached her in easy steps. “I’m so proud of you. And so are your mother and your grandmother. We all know you’re going to do a splendid job, darling.”

Beatrice reached for his hand, her eyes wet with tears. “I’m just happy the day finally came. You deserve this, dad.”

Sonny swallowed hard, trying to smile but afraid it’d come off looking more like a grimace. Sonny and Amanda had told Beatrice everything on her 18th birthday. They told her the story of Olivia’s sacrifices, then theirs, and made it clear that she didn’t have to go through any of that.

He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t breathed a sigh of relief when Beatrice said she was in love with a man, and had no problem when it came to taking the throne on her 21st birthday. In fact, she seemed eager to, suddenly aware of how important this moment would be for her family. 

Sonny shook his head. “This isn’t about me. It’s your day,” he squeezed her hand, then looked down at the white embroidered gloves she was wearing. “These are beautiful.”

“A gift from godfather,” she smiled fondly, flexing her fingers. “I thought it was appropriate to wear them today.” 

Sonny couldn’t help the lump in his throat. “He’ll be very pleased.”

After he took over the throne, the first year had been the hardest. Sonny had no will to get up from bed, rule, make diplomatic decisions when his kingdom was sucking the life out of him. 

But then Beatrice was born, and Sonny found a reason to be happy again. He had a worthy responsibility now. And when he held her in his arms for the first time, he looked at Amanda, tears in his eyes, and begged her. 

He  _ begged  _ for another child, because if Beatrice were to ever love another woman, it would kill Sonny to have to tell her what his mother told him when ran away. Looking down at the bright blue eyes and the pink cheeks of his newborn daughter, he knew he could never be responsible for inflicting that amount of pain onto his baby. 

Amanda had cried, too, but she understood more than anybody, and agreed vehemently. 

When the twins were born, Sonny felt like he’d been given a gift for everything they had to go through. He threw himself into raising his children and supporting Amanda through postpartum depression, then eventually her developing feelings for the crown advisor. 

For a moment, putting his feelings on the backburner seemed natural, but he couldn’t keep Rafael out of his life. He wouldn’t, and Amanda was against it, too. 

So with his heart in his throat, he had invited Rafael over for dinner, where he officially met Amanda, and their beautiful children. 

He hadn’t seen Rafael in over two years before that night, and the strength of his lingering feelings caught him off guard when the other man stepped into his foyer.

Of course, neither acted on it, there was nothing they could do if they didn’t want to risk the possibility of Sonny’s reign being overthrown, so they learned to live with it.

It hadn’t been easy, at first, especially not after Rafael was made Beatrice’s godfather. Seeing him around with his daughter in his arms, caring for her like a parent himself, tugged at Sonny’s heart cruelly. But with time, Rafael became a part of the family, and Beatrice and her brothers absolutely adored ‘Uncle Raf’. 

Sonny had spent the last 18 years with Rafael in his home every other day, baring gifts, things he’d sewn himself, books he wanted to read for the children. He was there for every birthday; through every milestone, he celebrated with them, through every challenge, they supported each other.

Every day, Sonny fell more in love. It couldn’t be helped, and he wasn’t going to try to deny it, and his love for Rafael became a part of him the same way his love for his best friend Amanda had, then his love for his children. 

It was as if, everyday, Sonny kept expanding with love for the people around him, and he was relieved to say that eventually, even through pining, he found happiness. 

Now, it was the day of his daughter’s coronation, it was the day he and Rafael had been waiting for. It was the day he would finally, at last, for once and for all, fall into the arms of the love of his life without looking back.

“Is he here yet?,” Beatrice asked eagerly. “I want him to see me before I go down.”

Sonny frowned. He hadn’t seen Rafael through all the preparations this morning. “I’m not sure.”

As if on cue, a voice sounded from the doorway. “Beatrice,” he said softly. “My darling, you are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen. God, look how stunning you are.”

Both royals smiled at him as Rafael stepped into the room, looking quite stunning himself in his evening attire. He had never ceased taking Sonny’s breath away. 

“It’s all thanks to you, godfather,” Beatrice said, kissing him on the cheek as he stepped closer to her. “You helped me choose the dress, after all.”

“I do have exquisite taste,” he said with a casual shrug, and Sonny laughed. “Jokes aside, you do look like a beautiful queen, my Trixie. I’m so proud of you, I know how much you’ve dedicated yourself to get here.”

Beatrice hugged him, and Sonny thought he was going to melt into a puddle at the look of serene adoration on Rafael’s face. 

“Thank you,” she said, pulling back. With a soft smile, she looked at Sonny. “I’ll give you two a minute.”

Sonny nodded his gratitude, his hands shaking in uncontrolled anticipation. 

“Your brothers have become so impatient they’ve taken to pranking your husband,” Rafael said in warning. “You’d better rescue him.”

Beatrice rolled her eyes in fond exasperation. “Matthew’s too good, he’ll let them do anything to him. I better go,” she looked in the mirror one last time, then turned towards the two other men. “I’ll see you downstairs.”

“See you in a minute, darling,” Sonny said softly, and watched with unnatural intensity as she made her way to the door and left, closing it behind herself. 

Suddenly, the heavy air descended upon him. He felt like it was crackling around the room, waiting for the explosion. But it didn’t have to wait long, because as soon as Sonny looked at Rafael, the other man ran into his arms.

“My love,” Rafael whispered against Sonny’s neck as he hugged him. “I can’t believe the day is finally here.”

Sonny grasped at him almost desperately. “God, I’ve missed you. I’ve missed you being close to me. I can’t believe I’ve gone over 20 years without you in my arms, Rafael. Now that the day has finally come, I don’t know how I managed.”

“But you did,” Rafael said, and pulled his head back to look at Sonny, but didn’t leave his arms. “You did it. You were an amazing King to your kingdom, you were an incredible husband to Amanda, and the most wonderful father to your children.”

“And to you?,” he asked eagerly.

“You were my everything, Sonny,” Rafael smiled up at him, his eyes shining. “You were, as you have always been, my beautiful prince.”

Sonny smiled back, letting out a relieved sigh. “After waiting 21 years, it’s almost unbearable that we have to wait another 2 hours.”

Rafael chuckled, amused. “You’ve endured much worse. Think of it like this: in two hours, I’ll be in your bed again, and I’m not going to leave for at least another 21 years.”

Sonny arms tightened around Rafael. “You’ll still want me even when I’m old and grey?”

“I’m sorry to say but you’re already grey, my love,” Rafael teased, and Sonny couldn’t help but laugh. “But it’s just my luck that you only seem to be getting more and more handsome with time.”

“You’re one to talk,” Sonny huffed, then leaned in to whisper in Rafael’s ear. “Your ass looks even better now than it did 20 years ago.” 

“Now, now, no teasing,” Rafael tried for nonchalant, but his voice was too breathy for that. “You’re still King.”

Regretfully, Sonny stepped back, but smiled. “Then let’s go down and start the coronation ceremony. As soon as those documents are signed and Beatrice’s flaunting around with her new crown, I’m all yours.”

“What a happy ending,” Rafael sighed dramatically. 

“Indeed,” Sonny beamed, and reached to straighten out Rafael’s tie just as an excuse to touch him a little more. 

“My love,” Rafael rested a hand over Sonny’s on his chest, looking emotional. “We’re finally here.”

“We’re here,” he breathed, and together, they made their way downstairs.

Sonny took his place next to Amanda, an arm around her waist as they watched Beatrice make her vows. Olivia was going to give a speech next, then Amanda, then Sonny, and at last all documents would be signed. 

So simple, just a signature. A piece of paper that had held him hostage for two decades. But he was going to be free now, and he was going to make the absolute most of it. 

“Can you believe we made it?,” Amanda whispered beside him as Beatrice stepped down for Olivia to take over. 

“Honestly, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed,” he chuckled, and Amanda nodded in agreement. “But we didn’t do too bad, did we?” 

“No,” Amanda smiled, serene. “I think we did great. It’s time to collect our rewards.”

Sonny smiled when Amanda turned to look at Carmen, no longer the crown advisor as of today. Then he searched for Rafael, and when their eyes met, he felt his heart jump in his chest for the thousandth time. 

The love of his life had waited for him, and Sonny felt invincible.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did I have an idea for chapter 4? Yes. Am I going to write it? I'm not sure. Not for now, at least. But I want to know what you think! Would you be interested? Did you like this ending? What more would you like to see?
> 
> You know me, I'm always willing to add to my stories, even if it's only months later ahhaa MWAH see you soon with a new fic!

**Author's Note:**

> I originally thought of making this a little longer, but it wasn't working, so I let it be for now. Maybe in the future I'll come back and add a second chapter to this, you never know when inspiration might strike! 
> 
> I've been in a bit of a writer's block lately, so let me know how you feel about this and maybe that'll help me shake it off. Nothing makes me want to write quite like talking to you all. <3 <3 Oh, and hit that kudo button!!


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